Mariners land two prep stars with Ibanez picks

The Seattle Mariners certainly miss Raul Ibanez’s bat, but the team used his departure to acquire two top Florida high school prospects in Tuesday’s baseball draft.

After landing University of North Carolina star Dustin Ackley with their first pick, as outlined in our story here, the Mariners went for a pair of prep players with the two compensatory picks obtained from Ibanez’s departure in free agency.

Mariners third-round draft pick Kyle Seager (left) of North Carolina celebrates with teammate Mike McKee as the Tar Heels beat East Carolina Sunday to advance to the College World Series. (AP photo/Sara D. Davis)

Nick Franklin, a shortstop out of Lake Brantley High who has committed to play college ball at Auburn next year, now has the option of joining the Mariners after Seattle selected him with the 27th pick in the first round.

That pick originally belonged to Philadelphia, which signed Ibanez last offseason. Because Ibanez was a “Type A” free agent, the Mariners also received a sandwich pick after the first round (33rd overall) and used that to land catcher Steven Baron.

Baron plays at John Ferguson High and has committed to Duke.

With their own pick in the second round (51st overall), the Mariners picked Rich Poythress, a 6-4, 245-pound first baseman out of the University of Georgia.

Seattle completed its first day by selected infielder Kyle Seager, a teammate of Ackley’s at North Carolina. Seager, who plays second and third base for UNC, was selected in the third round (82nd pick).

Franklin, a standout for the USA Baseball 18-and-under national team last summer, led Lake Brantley to a state high school championship as a junior when he hit .433 with six home runs, 12 doubles and 38 runs scored. He also can pitch and play the outfield.

Franklin comes from the same high school that produced big-leaguers Lopez, Rickie Weeks and Jason Veritek.

“In basketball there’s a term called a gym rat,” said Mariners scouting director Tom McNamara. “Franklin is a baseball rat. He’s a competent, switch-hitting shortstop with a lot of ability and we’re ecstatic to have him.”

Baron, 19, is regarded as an athletic catcher with quick feet who is still developing his offensive game. Here’s his bio.

Rich Poythress

The 6-foot, 190-pound right-hander is hitting .345 with eight doubles and two home runs in 30 games thus far in his senior season. Baron caught 54.2% (13 of 24) of attempted base stealers this season, including the last 10.

Poythress was named the 2009 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association District IV Player of the Year after finishing his junior year at Georgia hitting .376 with 25 home runs and a school-record 86 RBI.

Poythress became the first player in Georgia history to have two 70-RBI seasons. He hit three home runs in the Tallahassee Regional to lead Georgia to a 24-8 win over Ohio State.

Poythress was also named a Louisville Slugger All-American and a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and the Golden Spikes Award. He was a first team All-SEC selection and was also named to the SEC’s All-Defensive Team.